"You are the CEO of your life and you're in charge of letting people in" | Chris Woody Woodruff

What does it really mean to stay in tech for decades — and stay human? In this episode, we sit down with Woody — software architect, speaker, author, and host of Breakpoint Show — to talk about the long road in IT and life as a whole, beyond tech trends and shiny frameworks. This is NOT a “how to become a senior dev in 6 months” conversation. This is about life paths, pressure, burnout, identity, mentorship, creativity, and meaning — the parts we don’t usually put on LinkedIn. What we talk about: — Long-term careers in tech and what the business of your life really is — AI vs developers: hype, fear, and what’s really changing — Burnout — The gap between recruitment and engineering — and practical ways to fix it — Women in tech and where they are now — Public speaking, mentorship, and building a voice in tech — Community, scouting, and simplifying the complex — What kind of legacy actually matters — Where creativity lives (and where it doesn’t), and Woody’s favorite books — How to sharpen a knife (literally and figuratively) This episode is for you if: — you’re questioning your path or feeling burned out — you’re just entering the field and want a more honest perspective — you care about not just your career, but your life — you’ve been in tech for a while and feel the weight of it About Woody: Architect, educator, community contributor, and someone who’s spent decades navigating tech — while still being a great human and a casual philosopher. If something in this conversation resonates — share it with someone who might need to hear it too. And as always, cheers 💜💛